Automobile attachment



Jan. 2, 1923.

W. W. WHITTON.

AUTOMOBILE ATTACHMENT.

HLED MAY 23, 1922- INVENTOR. [MW/m2 l K Wfi/fio/r BY ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2,'T923 I I 1 UNITED STATES WILLIAM W. WHITTON, OF OAKLAND; CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE ATTACHMENT.

Application filed May 23, 1922. Serial a. 563,044.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. WHIT- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at 3023 Summit Street, in the city of Oakland, county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and useful Au-. tomobile Attachment, of which the following is a'specification.

This invention appertains to an attachment for the front end of automobiles, and more particularly to the resultant ornamental design configuration of the car when so equipped, whereby certain spaces heretofore left ,open are closed and utilized to advantage. A prime object of the invention is the provision of a'substantial boxing for housing as a collective unit, the radiator, the lamps, the horn and any other adjunctscommon to the front of an automobile, and by so doing present a continuous front 'or facing from fender to fender. The boxing is designed to be secured to the fenders and their supports, also to the frame members of the car, thereby providing additional bracing and strength for those members and for the forward-end of the car, and at the same time change the appearance of this end to one of solidit grace and attractiveness.

- Another object of the attachment, is when the sameis secured in positionon a car as a rigid unit, it will eliminate noise vibration and rattle, as is now quite common resulting fromthe many existing parts and adjuncts being separately'supported, and which vibrate more or less. And another object is to construct the boxing so that when positioned, it forms a radiator-dash, protecting the engine and the region surrounding the same against the elements.

A further object is that the front face of the collective unit, shall appear substantially flush with the exception that the visors'of the lamps may protrude from the said face. And a still further object is to incase theradiator in the rough in the boxing, and

thereby eliminate the need of a finished casing to surround the radiator as is now neces sary.

In furtherance of the above objects, 1 construct my invention with a gracefully formed bar extending across the top of the radiatorv and from fender to fender, and adapted to engage those members for additional strength, and also to add a still further characteristic appearance.

Other objects and features of'construction will appear in the subjoined description of the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrating an embodiment of my invention, and in whicba- 1 Figure 1 isafront elevation of the front end of an automobile equipped with my invention.

Fi 2 is a sectional elevationon the line A-- of Fig. 3, certain parts being omitted to more clearly show the others,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of-the front end of an automobile, certain parts being broken away.

Fig. 4: is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the right-hand side ;of Fig. 2.

a Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation on the line BB of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.* v Referring to the above named figures The front wheels and axle are represented at 1, and at'2 is shown the side channels of the frame of the machine. the front fenders, and at 4 the radiator.

'Across the machine a bar 5, preferably of steel and, suitably formed extends from fender tofender and over the top of the radiator, and is secured to the fenders and their supports 6 shown clearly in Fig. 4. The bar is perforated forthe radiator filling-nipple 7, but is otherwise solid except for necessary bolt and screw holes. The

radiator is supported in the usual way onthe frame members of the car, but is additionally braced by the bar 5 engaging the radiator nipple extending through the said hole. r

' Under the bar and between the customary fender members with their laterally extend;

ing aprons, are the plate-members of my, in-v vention, suitably flanged and formed in outline, to fit against those members and be secured thereto as with machine screws 8 and bolts 9, or otherwise, thus closing the space therebetween. 10 is the front plate and 11 the back plate. Both, plates are provided with an aperture for the radiator to, allow the latters proper functioning, but the front plate has additional apertures, such as for' the lamps, the horn and the starting crank.

As shown in Fig. 5, the accessories are located and boxed between the two plates, but

At 3 are shown are preferably supported by the front plate in any approved manner.

The final appearance of the front plate of the invention when attached to a car, is one of continuity with substantially a flush face,

with the exception that the visors may pro-' trude, and also, the slightly embossed rings or margins overlapping the lamps and the radiator. At 12'is shown a. metal visor for the head lamp, but it is evident that this may be dispensed with if desired, as many lenses now on the market consist of a unit lens and visor.

Between the plates, astiffening bar 13 may be attached to the-boxing members and to the channel members of the car, and may be positioned within the boxing so as to support or embrace the radiator sides to whatever degree desired. Thus it will be seen that the radiator so incased, in conjunction with its nipple T engaging bar'5, will be sufficiently rigid so that the top-bracing of it. to the instrument board or frame members of the car as now practised maybe dispensed with.

Projecting rearwardly from the back plate 11. is a flange or ledge 14 having avarying width. for supporting the ordinary hood 15 covering the engine. The varying width is to accommodate the tapering edge of the hood so that whenit is raised, it will more free from the said plate to avoid striking or scratching it.

In the drawings, I have shown but one specific form of my invention, but it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in many different forms, each being a species of my invention. and the patent protection that I desire. is all of that which comes within the spirit and scope of what I claim as new, and which claims are the following:

1. An automobile attachment, comprising in combination with fenders and a radiator,

-a one-piece bar extending from fender to fender and across the top of the radiator, and a flat plate closing the space between said parts, the plate being provided with perfm'ations for the head lamps.

2. An automobile attachment. cmnprising in combination with fenders and a radiator, a one-piece bar extending from fender to tender and across the topof the radiator, and a flat plate closing the space between said parts. the plate. supporting the head lamps and adjuncts common to the front of an automobile, and the said plate presenting a flush front face to the machine.

3. An automobile attachment, comprising b in combination with fenders and a radiator,

a flat bar extending from fender to fendcr and across the top of the radiator, ,a front plate and a back plate at the front and rear edges of Said bar, and having positioned therebetwee-n the radiator and the front lamps of an automobile.

4. An. automobile attachment, comprlsing,

in combination withfenders and a radiator,

a flat bar extending from fender to fender and across the top of the radiator, and a front plate and a back plate at the front and rear edges of said bar, the said back plate provided with a projecting flange conforming to the outline of the hood covering the engine, and said flange adapted to support one end of said hood.

5. An automobile attachment,comprising in combination with fenders and a radiator, a flat bar extending from .fender to fender and across the top of the radiator, and front and back plates closing the space between said parts, forming thereby boxes, one on each side of said radiator, the said boxes adapted to contain the lighting accessories and adjuncts common to the front ofan au- I tomobile.

6. An automobile attachment, comprising in combination with fenders and. a radiator, a. bar extendingfrom fender to fender and across the top of the radiator, and a front and a back plate closing the space between said parts, the said bar having attaching means for said parts and a perforation for the reception of the radiator filling nipple.

T. An automobile attachment. comprising 9 in combination with fenders and a radiator, a flat bar extending from fender to fender and across the top of the radiator, the bar having a hole therethrough to engage the radiatornipple and adapted to form a brace for the above members.

8. An automobile attachment in the form of a radiator-dash, comprising, a flat bar. front and back plates and a radiator therebetween. the dash adapted to fit across the 

